A Google
Korea spokeswoman confirmed that officials visited the office earlier today
"to investigate how cellphones and tablets that run on Google's Android
operating system collect information about users' location,"according
toMarket Watch.

She added
that Google intends to "fully cooperate with the investigation."

The
investigation comes at a time of increased scrutiny over how wireless carriers,
app developers, and handset makers collect and share private location data.
Just last week, news broke thatU.S.
lawmakers were looking into these practices, urging the various
stakeholders to be subject to privacy laws.

In late
2009, Google purchased AdMob for $750 million,Market Watchreports. "We suspect AdMob
collected personal location information without consent or approval from the
Korean Communication Commission," a South Korean police official told theBBC.

The
Google probe comes just days after the Korea Communications Commission sent
Apple's Korean unit a list of inquiries asking how it collects and shares
location data from iPhone and iPad users.

"Paying an extra $500 for a computer in this environment -- same piece of hardware -- paying $500 more to get a logo on it? I think that's a more challenging proposition for the average person than it used to be." -- Steve Ballmer